


Future Starts Slow

by Paperback_Head



Series: Clone Series [3]
Category: Person of Interest (TV)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-16
Updated: 2016-09-21
Packaged: 2018-07-24 11:12:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 12,259
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7506070
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Paperback_Head/pseuds/Paperback_Head
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sequel to Soft Shock.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

When Shaw arrived home on a Thursday night, she was completely exhausted from the double shift she had pulled. Don't get her wrong, she enjoyed her job. She got to catch bad guys and even shoot at them every once in a while. But it was gruelling and never ending work that seemed to always get dumped onto her already large case load. People had been killing each other since the beginning of time and, as far as she was concerned, it was a fact of life that would continue until the end of time. 

She and Fusco had been forced to spend the night at the precinct, using the remaining twenty four hours that were left to get a confession from their perp before they had to release him. It had come down to the wire but, with a little creative thinking on her part, they got the confession and called it a night.

When Shaw walked through the front door of their apartment she could hear giggling that instantly put a smile on her face. However, the smile soon disappeared as she heard familiar crying coming from the kitchen. So, Shaw made her way there to see what was happening before overreacting, reasoning that the crying child probably needed her attention more than the laughing one.

She found Root typing while a crying Hanna was sat on her lap as she bounced her up and down with her legs in an effort to calm her down. She was momentarily concerned as to where the boys were before hearing giggling coming from the lounge room again. So, Shaw snuck into the kitchen quietly and wrapped her arm around Root's chest, ducking her head down to place a light kiss on the scar behind her right ear before resting her head on her shoulder.

"Hey sweetie." Root greeted with a loud yawn. Shaw felt guilty for leaving Root with their three kids all night and day but she didn't really have a choice. It wasn't that their children were a handful, but there were three of them under the age of five and the twins needed everything done for them. 

Their oldest was an amazing big brother. Oliver tried to help out as much as he could at his age. He would keep the two three-month olds as occupied as he could when Root and Shaw needed a break and he was easily one of their favourite people. He was protective and extremely careful when he was around them and gave them his full attention no matter what was happening around them without much regard for his own requirements. Unbeknownst to his mothers, he had once forgone eating for almost an entire day so that Root could take care of a sick Shaw without having to worry about the twins.

Shaw easily removed the wailing baby from Root's lap and began soothing her. Root would argue that Hanna was a complete Mama's girl, a fact that each of the guys had pointed out as well. From the moment she was born Shaw had continuously spoilt her in whatever way she could, much to Root's disapproval. Of course, Shaw would never tell her wife that it was because their baby girl was a spitting image of her. She had light blonde hair which she had obviously gotten from Root and her eyes were already identical to Root's, right down to the constantly present mischievous glint. She was also annoyingly happy the majority of the time which never failed to put Shaw into a good mood, no matter what was happening.

"Hey, khoshgel khanoom." Shaw greeted her softly before peppering light kisses all over her face until she was smiling again. Shaw blew a light raspberry onto her cheek, earning a loud giggle from the baby and an adoring smile from Root. "You weren't too much trouble for mommy, were you?" She asked Root more than Hanna, who was just smiling happily now that Shaw was home.

"Of course not," Root answered. "Ollie helped me out though."

Shaw hummed in acknowledgement as she continued showering Hanna with affection to keep her attention from whatever it was that had been worth crying over in her three-month old logic. "You need me to do anything?" She asked despite how tired she was. However, Root simply smiled at her with her unmistakable teasing glint present in her gaze and Shaw rephrased with an eye roll before she could make any kind of innuendo. "I mean, do you need any help?"

Her signature smirk quickly took the place of her teasing smile and Shaw rolled her eyes again. Somethings never changed.

"I don't think so. This shouldn't take too much longer." She answered.

"How about I put them to bed and you can finish whatever it is that you're doing?" Shaw suggested.

Root seemed to seriously consider the offer before she began to protest. "You're probably just as tired, I don't mind..." She began only to be cut off with a light peck to her lips.

"You've had them for two days, the least I can do is put them to bed." Shaw told her before kissing her again, however more thoroughly this time, and making her way into the lounge room, still carrying a now beaming Hanna. 

She entered the room where Oliver was lying on the floor with Josh, who had his stuffed toy lion clutched to his chest tightly as he buried his face into the lion's synthetic mane. Shaw watched as her sons interacted, smiling at the loud laughs that Josh was letting out every time Oliver would tickle him gently. After a few moments, Hanna made a noise that alerted both boys to Shaw's presence, stealing their attention away from each other. Josh immediately smiled wider and Oliver seemed to release some tension from his muscles and relaxed a little.

"How're my boys?" She asked as she made her way over and sat down next to Oliver, placing Hanna next to her younger twin.

It was at moments like this that Shaw couldn't help but compare the twins. Josh was a little more like Shaw but he was undoubtedly Root's child. He would do the cutest or most ridiculous things with a smile on his face just like his tall, brunette mother and, like Hanna, had the same mischievous glint. His hair was slightly darker that his sister's but still much lighter than anyone else's and his eyes were identical in colour to Hanna's. However, unlike Oliver, they both seemed to have inherited Shaw's appetite which left Root completely exhausted the majority of the time.

Oliver simply answered with a shrug. Shaw could see that he was exhausted and her observation was proven when he placed his head onto her shoulder. He wasn't normally affectionate so when he was it was easy to pick up that something was off about him. He was still wearing the clothes that she assumed that he had worn to preschool that morning and knew that he had probably put off his regular after school routine in order to keep at least one of the twins out of Root's hair.

"Why don't you go brush your teeth and get changed?" She suggested softly as she brushed back his scruffy hair and placed a soft kiss onto his forehead. She received a light nod and a silent "okay" before he slowly stood up, almost losing his balance but managed to remain standing with a little help from Shaw. "Mommy and I will be in to say goodnight soon." She called after him, knowing that he probably wouldn't last long enough once his head hits his pillow.

"And you two," She said softly as she turned her attention to the twins who were looking at their surroundings curiously. "Need to calm down so you can get some sleep."

Hanna was obviously more tired than Josh, as evidenced by the various yawns she was releasing. Shaw imagined that fatigue was the cause of her previous meltdown. Josh was a lot more awake than his sister and Shaw knew that it was going to take a little longer for him to exhibit signs of tiredness. So, she decided to place him in the small playpen that they had set up in order to prevent him from moving around while she put Hanna down. It didn't take long for the three-month old girl to fall asleep so she gave a gentle kiss to the baby's cheek before placing her in her crib before exiting the room as quietly as possible and closing the door. She had never been more thankful for the sliding door than in moments such as this.

She stopped in Oliver's room but wasn't surprised to find the little boy sound asleep and wrapped tightly in his blanket to keep him warm. She placed another kiss onto his forehead before leaving the room and closing his door as well before going back to the lounge room. 

Shaw could still hear Root's rapid, oddly soothing typing of the computer keys, telling her that Root was still diligently working on whatever it was that the Machine had tasked her with. She was going to have a conversation with the robot overlord at some point about overworking the brunette, however that was a conversation for a later date when she didn't have a defiant three month old to put to sleep.

She picked up her little boy, who kept a death grip on his stuffed lion. Shaw swears to this day that the most useful thing that Fusco had ever done was give Josh the stuffed animal. It was hands down his favourite toy and they had suffered through more than one meltdown when they were unable to locate it. It was for this reason that Shaw had put a tracker in it, much to Reese's amusement. However, he had become extremely silent when Shaw had told him to wait until he had kids of his own. Shaw still teased him about just how pale the former CIA operative had gone that day.

She began pacing the room and lightly rubbing his back in an effort to sooth him. However, after a couple of minutes she grew tired an decided to turn off the lights and rest on the couch until he was drowsy enough so that he wouldn't protest when she put him in his crib. She laid on the couch and kept a secure but gentle hold of her son, leaving zero possibility that he would fall off of her. After about ten minutes he could barely keep his eyes open and neither could Shaw.

It was twenty minute laters when Root completed her work and walked into the living room only to find Shaw fast asleep on the couch with Josh in a similar state on her chest with his head resting in the crook of her neck, clutching onto his stuffed lion. Root couldn't help but smile at the adorable sight before her, taking the opportunity to take a photo on her phone before making her way over to get the two into their own beds.


	2. Chapter 2

Root knew that this day was coming, she just hadn't anticipated how emotional she would be. Sending her oldest to preschool was not an easy task and even more so after everything she had experienced in her life. She knew just how dangerous the world was, more than the majority of the population, and she couldn't be there to protect him when he wasn't around her. Of course, the Machine had promised to keep tabs on him which seemed to calm her worries a little.

Shaw was in a similar state, however she hid it better than her wife. After being gone for so long and missing the first few years of Oliver's life, she just wanted to keep him at home as much as possible. Shaw enjoyed spending as much time with him as possible whether it be playing through a video game together, watching TV or reading. Not that she didn't like spending time with Hanna and Josh. It was just that Oliver was at an age where she could do more things with him whereas the twins were kind of limited by age restrictions and safety rules. After four years of torturous simulations, all she wanted to do was wrapped him in kevlar and keep him in her line of sight at all times. 

Root hadn't been able to sleep the previous night, tossing and turning from the anxiety. Her baby boy whom she had raised for the past five years was going to school, real school. He had been going to daycare since he was two and if Root had been emotional then, she was even more so now. It was a different feeling sending your child to daycare than it is sending your child to school. In Root's opinion, daycare is more of a babysitting service where you drop your kid off in the morning, they play, maybe learn a little, have lunch, take a nap and go home. Preschool is about learning and getting ready for years to come. It was only a matter of time before Oliver was much smarter than her and she couldn't understand half of what he was saying.

He was already extremely intelligent, knowing a lot about coding from being taught by Root and Finch. In order to spark his interest and improve his skills, the pair of genius hackers had designed and installed several games on Oliver's iPad which seemed to greatly improve his abilities in not only coding but problem solving, adaption and pattern recognition, something he had always done well at. Shaw had be wary of the device at first, which Root assured was off the grid and connected to the mesh network, but after witnessing it's effects she didn't mind and even found herself playing along with the five year old on occasion. He would thrive in a schooling environment where he could learn more maths and reading and writing, at least to begin with.

What worried Root the most was the fact that he barely spoke around strangers and was a little socially awkward. He had gotten a little better since the twins were born but there was only so much he could learn from interacting with one year olds. In addition, he also seemed to share Shaw's emotional limitations and didn't like to be touched unless he initiated. These were all things that were going to be an issue in the near future, Root imagined. He had never had much interaction with kids his own age but when he had, he just couldn't seem to get a grasp on it. Combine that with the refusal to speak, not being able to express emotions and the touching issues she didn't think that Oliver was going to have an easy time interacting with other kids and making friends.

Root laid awake for the better part of the night staring at the ceiling as her mind was too active for sleep. Shaw, on the other hand, was fast asleep beside her with a warm arm thrown across Root's waist in order to keep her from moving as she had been before. Hours passed as thoughts continued to rotate around her brain in quick succession. She wanted nothing more than to keep him home with her forever but knew she had to let him experience and work through things on his own, no matter how cold and chaotic the outside world was.

"Stop thinking," A husky grumble beside her ear dragged her from her thoughts. She turned her head, seeing that Shaw was awake enough to be coherent, before rolling over so that they were facing each other. "He'll be fine, Root."

Root couldn't stop the uptick at the edge of her mouth because of course Shaw knew exactly what was worrying her and keeping her awake all night. However, after a moment, it turned back into it's previous frown which was filled with concern. "He's not like other kids. I just don't want to send him into the world without preparing myself for what could happen."

At this, Shaw seemed to wake up more. She knew Oliver was different to other kids. He was like her but not, if that made any sense at all. She knew exactly what Root was referring to, having been on the receiving end of bullying as a child herself but she hadn't been effected by it because her "emotional volume," as she had begun referring to it, had been turned down so much as oppose to now. Oliver was a little different. His emotions were there, you could clearly see it in his eyes, but he didn't know how to show it so he didn't. From a psychological standpoint it was fascinating but as a parent it was worrying.

"Look, I don't want him to get hurt either but it's going to happen. All we can do is help him out when he needs it." Shaw responded, gently wiping a few tears from Root's cheeks as she spoke softly.

They remained lying together, simply staring into each other's eyes and enjoying the other's presence. It was about ten minutes later when almost silent footsteps sounded in the hallway and there was a soft knock on their door. Root rolled over just enough to see the clock on the bedside table. It was seven a.m., about the same time Oliver awoke everyday but it was still a little early for either of the twins. Despite their young age it was obvious they were no morning people, another trait that they shared with Root. 

The didn't open until Shaw called out a "come in" in a hushed whisper just loud enough to be heard from outside, not wanting to accidentally wake the twins. Oliver quietly slipped into the room and made his way to the edge of the bed, both mothers unable to help the smiles on their faces at his dishevelled appearance. His hair was sticking up in all directions, a few of the buttons on his pyjama shirt were buttoned wrong and one of his pant legs were rolled up to his knee whilst the other wasn't. He struggle for a moment to climb onto the bed before sitting himself on the end, careful not to sit on their feet.

The pair rolled away from each other slightly, making enough room to fit him between the, but still maintain a slight distance. He easily slipped into the space, blinking in order to prevent himself from falling asleep. Root placed a light kiss onto his forehead before speaking.

"You ready for today?" She asked in a whisper. She was right next to him and reduced the volume of her voice accordingly, knowing that he didn't like loud noises.

He nodded in response before turning his head to face Root, watching her expression carefully. He wasn't very good with social interaction but he was always somehow able to identify how she was feeling no matter how well she thought she was hiding it. He offered her a small smile and her mood immediately improved.

Having watched the small interaction, Shaw was proud of him. He may not be good with feelings but he tried and that's all they could ask of him. And it obviously meant the world to Root. She ran her hand through his dark, shaggy hair, messing it up even more in the process, and placed a kiss on his forehead.

"Why don't you start getting ready and I'll make pancakes for breakfast." Shaw told him as she sat up, creating enough room for him to get off the bed without much difficulty. 

He nodded his head before placing a kiss on each of their cheeks, a morning greeting he had begun doing since he was little, and managed to get off the bed more smoothly than he had gotten off. Root tracked him with her eyes until he disappeared from sight due to the once again closed door. Shaw, on the other hand, watched Root and catalogued every emotion that flickered in her eyes. Happiness, love, adoration, sadness, worry and fear all succeeded each other in quick succession.

Once Oliver was out of the room, Shaw leant over the bed and waited until Root's eyes locked onto her own before initiating a soft, reassuring kiss which Root instantly reciprocated. She pulled back slightly and trailed chaste kisses across her cheek and neck until her mouth was right next to her good ear. 

"He's going to do fine." Shaw whispered, her tone soft yet full of conviction.

Root turned her head slightly so their faces were extremely close in proximity. Shaw's reassurances were helping, which wasn't a surprise considering they always did. She brought her hands to cup Shaw's face as she brought their lips together again, this time in a more passionate kiss that usually led to much more. 

"You are so getting lucky tonight." Root whispered huskily and slightly out of breath when they pull apart earning a wicked smirk from Shaw.


	3. Chapter 3

As Root continued typing the keys of her laptop, her mind couldn't help but wonder to her family. Specifically the twins. Although they were twins, Hanna and Josh weren't at the same stages developmentally. For example, Hanna had said her first word almost two months ago whereas Josh had yet to say anything that remotely made sense. There wasn't anything wrong, after all boys did tend to develop a little slower than girls in regards to communication, but Root still worried.

Shaw had tried to reassure her that everything was fine but it didn't seem to help much. Root was the worrier out of the two. She was always anxious when she was away from the kids and worried about the most minor things. If one of them so much as sneezed she would refuse to leave their side for at least a day. She supposed it was the result of her childhood. She wanted to be better than her parents were and, although Shaw reassured her at every opportunity about what an amazing mother she was to their children, Root sometimes felt like a failure.

It did seem to help a little, however, that they were at the same stage when in came to motor skills. They were both able to stand on their own with little to no help and were even capable of a few steps with the help of Root or Shaw. Reese had told them that he had tried to get them up and about when he was watching them but the stubborn eleven month olds weren't having any of it. They would only allow Root or Shaw to help them and even Oliver on occasion. Whilst Josh had already taken his first steps by himself, a moment that almost had Root in tears, Hanna was almost there.

Because they had different areas to work on, Root and Shaw figured that they would each work with one of the twins. Root would sit with Josh and show him pictures before telling him the word whilst Shaw would help Hanna walk around, allowing her to take a little more control each time. Oliver would be a stand in when required, either reading books to Josh when Root was working a number or walking around with Hanna's feet on top of his when Shaw was working late. Root thought that it was cute that Oliver would try to teach his younger siblings and she had sent multiple pictures to Shaw and the guys over the last few weeks.

Finch had assured her that it was only a matter of time before they were both walking off and talking everyone's ears off and she hoped he was right. 

It was only a few moments later that a familiar giggle drew her out of her thoughts and she realised that she had drifted off. She took her hands away from the keys and turned her attention to the little boy who was standing next to her chair, his tiny hands clutching the wooden seat. His entire face lit up with a bright smile and he released another giggle when Root turned her attention to him, earning an adoring smile from the hacker.

"What are you doing, my handsome boy?" Root asked warmly as she picked him up and sat him on her lap facing her, much to Josh's delight. He was always happy when he received attention, much like herself if she really thought about it, but he didn't get to upset if he was left alone. Probably a trait he earned from Shaw. He simply smiled wider, if such a thing were possible, showing off the four teeth he already had.

She placed a light kiss onto his forehead and noted the time on her laptop as she pulled away. "Mama's gonna be home soon and then we can have dinner. Does that sound good?" She asked. She repressed the urge to roll her eyes when he continued to smile at her as if she hadn't said a thing. Now that they had two kids who were somewhat similar to herself, Root understood why Shaw would roll her eyes so much when she was around.

It was around half an hour later that Shaw walked through the front door, practically throwing her keys and jacket down and making a beeline for the fridge, completely oblivious to Oliver and Hanna watching TV in the lounge room. Root watched with a raised eyebrow as the short Persian pulled out a beer, popped off the cap and skulled half the bottle in less than a minute before she even acknowledged her presence. 

"I'm assuming your day wasn't as good as mine." Root commented, placing a peck onto Josh's cheek for emphasise. 

"I don't wanna talk about it." She replied as she placed the cool, alcoholic beverage onto the counter and approached Root, relieving her of Josh. Josh released a light squeal of delight at the sound of Shaw's voice and locked his arms around Shaw's neck as she kept a tight grasp on him, instantly improving Shaw's mood. "What's up, handsome?" She asked him softly.

"Mama." was the response she received and she nearly dropped him in shock. Both parents completely froze when they heard their son speak and instantly locked eye contact as if they were confirming that the other had heard the same thing. "Mama." The eleven month old repeated louder and both woman couldn't contain the bright, proud smiles that broke out on their faces.

"Yeah, buddy, that's me." Shaw told him with a laugh before peppering his face with kisses, earning excited squeals and giggles from Josh. Root simply placed a warm kiss on his cheek and giving him a warm, watery smile.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed the chapter. If anyone has any prompts, feel free to leave a comment. :)


	4. Chapter 4

Harold Finch considered himself to be a level-headed man. He was a shining example on ethics and principles. He had successfully created an artificial intelligence which didn't want to exterminate the entire human race. He had taught the Machine the fundamentals of emotion and human nature in general to the point that the Machine actually cared for them. 

However, he knew that he wasn't the best with children. He got along amazingly well with Oliver, however that was mainly due to the anomaly that was Root and Shaw's oldest son. Since the day he was born, Oliver had always been a well-behaved and low maintenance child. Finch had no idea who he had inherited these traits from but he was grateful he had considering Finch had looked after him whenever Root was working on defeating the evil AI who shall not be named.

Hanna and Joshua, on the other hand, seemed to be the complete opposite. They required constant supervision in order to keep from playing with things they shouldn't. Despite the exceedingly large collection of toys the twins seemed to have accumulated during the incredibly short eleven months that they had been alive, they still managed to get their hands on things they shouldn't to play with. For example, Joshua had decided that he would try his hand at checkers and almost ended up swallowing one of the pieces the previous week. In addition to this, on the same exact day Hanna had decided to have some fun with push pins and had accidentally impaled herself.

To say that the pair were exhausting was an understatement but, despite his instincts, he kept agreeing to watch the twins whilst Root and Shaw were unavailable. In this particular instance, Shaw was working and Root had wanted to spend the afternoon with Oliver, leaving him to watch the twins alone whilst Reese and Fusco were working a number. This, he would admit, scared him almost as much as the mere mention of the previously won AI cold war that almost killed them all. It was extremely obvious which parent the twins had inherited certain personality traits from and it set Finch on edge.

The twins were completely mischievous and used their cuteness to get their own way, more so Hanna than Josh. Hanna was a complete Mama's girl and Finch had taken note on several occasions that Shaw allowed the little girl to get away with quite a lot. Finch simply attributed it to the fact that Hanna was the only girl. Of course, that's not to say that Shaw played favourites. She let a lot slide with Josh as well. In Shaw's eyes, her kids could do no wrong however Root knew different. Whilst Josh had more Shaw in him that his sister, Hanna was almost a complete copy of Root which meant that her mother knew most of the tricks having pulled them herself. 

However, Finch was not a mind reader and he couldn't predict either of the twin's actions just as he couldn't predict anyone else's. He knew that he was in for a difficult day when he had needed to work from the subway due to unforeseen circumstances, but more so when Root had dropped by and asked him to watch the almost one year olds.

It was far more dangerous in the subway than it was in the office that they had begun using. Finch had wanted to use the library once again however the Machine had talked him out of the idea, claiming that there were still some that knew of their former headquarters that could very well be surveilling the location in the hopes that they would come back. There were computer parts, electrical cords and weaponry everywhere and it was by no means safe for two extremely young children, especially Root and Shaw's children.

He was currently in the subway cart, monitoring the camera feeds that the Machine had accessed revealing the situation that Reese was currently in. He kept the volume turned down as to not alert Hanna or Josh to the violence occurring on the screens in front of him. Finch had become more desensitised to the violence since the war with Samaritan, however now that the storm had passed it made him a little more uncomfortable. In addition, he didn't want to be held responsible for exposing the twins to anything even remotely related to violence even though he was fairly certain Shaw had already managed to.

He began to lose track of time as he helped Reese with a little assistance from the Machine, who was relaying information to Finch via one of the computer screens. It wasn't until loud giggling and the sound of metal landing on metal echoed throughout the tiled, underground hideout, drawing his attention away from the situation playing out on the monitor.

He spun around in his chair with a sense of urgency, only to be greeted with the sight of Hanna with a large grin identical to her mother's as she held one of Root's many tasers in her hands. Finch's eyes widened as he realised just how close to the buttons her fingers were and he leapt from his seat, limping to the little girl as quickly as he could manage before crouching in front of her. He suppressed the urge to shudder when he caught sight of the mischievous glint that was present in her light brown eyes.

"Mr. Reese," He spoke as he reconnected his earwig. "I have a situation that requires your expertise."

"Are the twins okay?" Reese's gravelly whisper came through the line in between gun shots.

"It seems that Root forgot to place one of her tasers on a higher shelf and Hanna has managed to get ahold of it." Finch relayed softly, as if something catastrophic would happen if he spoke any louder.

A few more gun shots were exchanged as well as some rustling before Reese responded, albeit a little out of breath. "Just take it from her, Finch. She's eleven months old, what's the worst that could happen?"

Finch paused, thinking the option through, before deciding that Reese was right and disconnected the line. He was the adult which meant that the power belonged to him. At least in theory.

"Now, Hanna, that is not something that you should be playing with so I am afraid I will be taking it away from you." He explained.

The little girl seemed to think about what she had been told before responding. "No toy?" She asked.

Harold offered her what he hoped was a sympathetic smile. "I'm afraid not." He replied before reaching out and plucking the weapon out of the girl's grasp. He stood up and placed the taser on a higher shelf with the rest of Root's weapons. 

When he turned back around, he was immediately captured by tear filled, honey brown eyes that began to melt his resolve in combination with a quivering lip that could only mean one thing. Sure enough, it was only a few seconds later that she began wailing loudly. Finch crouched again and picked the little girl up and begun bouncing her up and down as best as he could, trying and failing to calm her down.

It was only a few moments later that a loud squeal drew his attention out of the subway cart and it was then that Finch remembered that Josh was also in the subway, somewhere. He continued to carry a loudly crying Hanna as he began following the playful squeals until he was led directly to Josh, who was underneath Finch's desk outside the cart, completely covered in dirt with a brick of Semtex set down beside him and a grenade held in his tiny hands.

His eyes widened comically in alarm once again and he quickly rushed to take the dangerous explosives away from the boy, who looked completely crestfallen when his new "toy" was taken away. Finch placed the dangerous object on the desk before getting ahold of Josh and managing to manoeuvre him out from under the desk and carry Hanna at the same time.

"I'm afraid that isn't a toy, Joshua." Finch told the young boy sternly.

Hanna continued to cry loudly and Josh was noticeably upset and growing increasingly agitated. Thankfully, the familiar sound of heels against tile caused Finch to spin around only to be greeted by the sight of Shaw who gave him a threatening look.

"What'd you do?" She asked in greeting before relieving him of Hanna, enabling him to get a better grip on Josh.

"It would appear that they share you and Ms. Groves' enthusiasm in weaponry." He informed her, choosing his words cautiously. At the look of confusion that Shaw gave him he decided to elaborate further. "Hanna managed to gain access to one of Root's tasers whilst Joshua almost detonated a hand grenade next to a brick of Semtex." 

"Sounds like I missed a party," She commented as she began soothing Hanna, who had quietened down considerably since being held by her mother. Shaw somehow managed to take Josh from him as well before placing a soft kiss to his cheek, causing him to giggle in delight. Evidently, it didn't take much to calm him down

Finch simply stood in amazement, proud to have witnessed the transformation in Shaw. Finch had never imagined that she would be as good at domesticity as she actually was and he was proud of his friend.

"Well, we should get going." Shaw said. "Thanks for watching them, Finch."

"Not a problem, Ms. Shaw." Finch told her, wincing internally as he did so, before watching her walk out of the subway with a twin on each hip.


	5. Chapter 5

Root knew that something wasn't quite right when she woke up and realised she was engulfed by the furnace that was her wife. Shaw was never affectionate in her sleep unless she was extremely tired, which she hadn't been the night before, or she wasn't feeling one hundred percent. Judging for the heat coming from the body around her, Root knew that the latter was the more likely case.

Shaw never got sick. In the entire time that Root had known her she hadn't so much as caught a cold, which surprised Root given her wife's colorful diet. However, the last week had been unusually stressful for the Persian and even she had to get run down every once in a while. She lifted her head slightly to look at the clock, noticing that it was quite late for Shaw to still be in bed especially on a weekday. It wasn't until Root lifted her head, having been sleeping on her left side, that she heard small sniffles coming from the sleeping Persian and loud wails that she knew were coming from the twin's room. So she decided that it was better to calm them down before they woke Shaw or Oliver.

When she entered the twins room, she could immediately differentiate between the two wails. Hanna was a lot more vocal to the point that she was squealing whilst Josh was more of a silent cryer, like Oliver, however he was being much louder than usual. This was her first indicator that something wasn't right and, as they grew louder at the realisation that she was in the room, she wished that Shaw was well enough to help her out.

She decided that in order to quieten Josh down, she needed to calm Hanna first which was never an easy task for her. Hanna was a complete Mama's girl, just being in Shaw's presence made her happier. Shaw was the only person who could calm their daughter down when she was like this. It made Root a little jealous and insecure however she still had a stronger relationship with Oliver even after all the time that Shaw had been back. 

"I want mama!" She kept screaming as Josh simply continued to cry. "I want mama."

She picked her daughter up and the first thing Root noticed was the increase in the girl's temperature. Luckily for Root, she had decided to bring a thermometer with her and measured her daughter's temperature. When she got the reading back and it was fairly high, Root knew exactly what to do. She changed the thirteen month old's diaper before taking her into her bedroom, where Shaw was curled into herself. At the sight of her mama, Hanna's wails became sobs and hiccups which caused Shaw turn over and face them. She open her eyes briefly before closing them and holding her arms limply. Root happily complied with the silent request and passed Hanna to Shaw. She smiled softly to herself as Hanna immediately quietened down, now content, and Shaw adjusted her position so her arm was wrapped around the girl's waist protectively.

However, the moment was soon broken when the sound of Josh's cries became louder. She cringed slightly, partly due to the pained sobs that was coming from her son and partly because she didn't want to disturb Shaw too much. 

She made a move towards the door but paused when she heard unintelligible mumbling coming from her wife.

"Sorry, sweetie?" She asked, moving closer so that Shaw wouldn't have to speak too loudly and disturb the now half asleep toddler in her arms.

"Just bring them all in here." Shaw mumbled again, a little louder, before coughing into her pillow. 

Root didn't bother double checking that she had heard Shaw correctly when Josh seemed to somehow get louder and she raced towards the room. When she reentered the twin's room, her attention was drawn to her son who was standing in his crib and shaking the side as he screamed and cried loudly. His hair was stuck to his tear and sweat covered face and his eyes were red rimmed from crying.

"Oh, baby," Root said as she picked him up quickly and checked his temperature, unsurprised when it was higher than Hanna's. She paced around with him for a few minutes, wanting to calm him down before she brought him to the other room. She used a few tissues to clean his face before placing several kisses onto his heated forehead as he rested his head on her shoulder once he had calmed down. "You're okay."

"Feel bad." He told her in a pained moan and Root gripped him a little tighter. She felt completely helpless knowing that there was very little she could do to relieve his symptoms other than giving him medicine and letting him rest. 

"I know, I'm sorry." Root replied as he buried his face into the crook between her neck and shoulder. "Let's go see mama."

She brought him into their bedroom and laid him down next to Shaw, who wrapped her free arm around him instinctively. She waited a few moments before turning around but stopped when she heard Josh moan.

"Stay mommy." He whined softly and Root found herself squatting next to the bed. 

"I'm just going to get Ollie." She whispered, running her hand through his darkening blonde hair. "I'll be right back."

And with one final kiss to his forehead, Root left the once again room and made her way towards her oldest son's room. In retrospect, Root probably should have checked in him first as she took his previous health complications into consideration. But Oliver was never one to complain and, if he was sick as well, he would rather stay in his room than worry his parents. 

She knocked on his door lightly, announcing her presence, before opening it and entering. She made her way over to his bed quietly and placed her hand on his forehead, immediately noticing how warm and damp it was. However, despite how high his temperature was he was wrapped in his blanket tightly and he continued to sniff every few moments in order to clear his blocked nose to little success. It was obvious to Root that he had been affected the most by the virus and even though she really didn't want to get sick, she didn't want to leave him especially when he was obviously suffering.

She sat down on the edge of his bed and he began to stir at the sudden movement. Root was quick to shush him as she laid down beside him and began stroking his hair and placed her free arm over his waist.

"Don't feel good." He grumbled, his voice slightly hoarse from what Root suspected was a sore throat.

"I know." Root whispered to him as he snuggled into her. He wasn't affectionate but even he liked to be comforted on the rare occasion that he was sick and Root was always more than happy to oblige, no matter how contagious he was. "You'll feel better after you get some rest."

He didn't bother protesting the suggestion as he was dragged into the realm of unconsciousness fairly quickly with Root following not to long afterwards.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Shaw has to compete with the children for the TV as she wants to watch a game and they want to watch cartoons.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My apologies for not updating. I've been super busy with school work. Hopefully the next chapter will be out sooner.

Shaw wasn't a huge sport fan. She would watch a game here and there but never religiously, at least not until she had returned from her ordeal in Samaritan's custody. Following her return, Shaw found herself with a lot of free time which she typically spent with Oliver. And one thing that she quickly learnt about her oldest is that he enjoyed sports, or at least watching them. 

His absolute favourite sport was hockey simply because it was the first sport ever introduced to him. Fusco had been watching him when he was just a year old and had taken him to one of his son's hockey games. Since then, Oliver had grown into a true fan of the sport and was Fusco's go to when looking for someone to watch it with him. Oliver also liked baseball but purely for the statistics. He enjoyed numbers and data sets, much like Root had as a child. They just made sense to him and when Root recognised that she introduced the sport to him. 

As a result, Shaw had spent quite a lot of evenings watching the hockey with an incredibly intrigued three year old. This quickly turn into a seasonal ritual and the pair would watch the games religiously no matter what. However, they hadn't really thought about how their little tradition was going to be affected by the twins. 

Don't get her wrong, she loved her kids more than she ever thought she would be able to. But with that being said, Hanna and Josh were annoyingly loud sometimes and almost always got what they wanted. Shaw normally gave in with all the kids, especially Hanna, but when it came to sport it wasn't a negotiation. Or, at least, that's what she had thought.

She was currently sat on the couch trying to retrieve the remote from the cheeky fifteen-month olds that were holding it hostage before Root and Oliver came home with dinner. She never knew that two children could love Sesame Street so much. Shaw found it beyond creepy but it was the twin's absolute favourite show. If they so much as caught a glimpse of one of the characters they were demanding to watch it. 

Oliver didn't seem to mind even though he was far too mature for such a childish show. He would rather give up the tv if it meant that his younger siblings were happy. And with anything else, Shaw would be the same. But sport, especially hockey, was a deal breaker. That was one thing she remained firm on, in addition to her weapons stash which remained in the safe in Root's nerd cave.

This cat and mouse game had been going on for half an hour and Shaw was getting tired of it. Every time she was close to getting the remote back Hanna would hand it off to Josh or vice versa. It would have been amusing in any other situation but the game would be starting in about five minutes and there were three more episodes of the aggravating children's show to go. 

"Hanna, can you please give me the remote?" Shaw stressed the words please as she was reduced to begging a toddler. 

Shaw thought she was actually going to get it as the little girl paused for a moment. However, her hope was soon gone when she smirked in return as she shook her head. "No, mama." She said seriously but Shaw struggled to keep a straight face. Damn that kid looked so much like Root.

"It's my turn. You've been watching the same thing for two hours." Shaw tried to reason but was sidetracked when she was tapped on the shoulder by Josh.

"Long?" He asked curiously, and it took Shaw a few moments to realise what he meant.

"Yep, two hours is a very long time." She told him, quickly formulating a plan. "So now it's my turn to watch."

"No dun." Hanna told her in an annoyed tone that she had probably picked up from Shaw. 

"I know but it's my turn now. And Oliver will want to watch as well." Shaw explained as best as she could. She didn't know how much they were understanding but they both perked up at the mention of their older brother.

"O-lie?" They both asked in unison and really solidifying the whole twin thing. Shaw simply nodded in response and only drew her attention away when Oliver and Root walked through the front door carrying a bag each filled with a variety of Chinese food.

The twins immediately got up from where they had been sitting against the couch, their punishment for not giving Shaw the remote, and walked over to Oliver as fast as they could with out tripping over. They almost knocked him over as they each bumped into him and it was only Root's quick reflexes that saved the food he had been carrying. She walked towards the kitchen, deciding that it was probably safer to get everything into the kitchen before something else happened.

"You autch," Hanna said as she held the remote out to him. He looked at her confused for a moment before taking the device hesitantly, having been tricked by the little girl before.

"Thanks?" He stated as more of a question before Root came back into the room and picked the little girl up, who insisted on placing a kiss on her older brother's cheek.

"Let's go pick what you want for dinner." Root said to Hanna as they walked back to the kitchen, quickly followed by Josh who didn't want to miss out either. So much for the one at a time method. 

Oliver walked over to the couch, where Shaw was still sitting with a blank expression. Oliver sat down next to her and placed the remote on her lap as he gave her a small smile. They sat there for the next hour and watched with bated breath as their favourite team won the match by a few points at the last second.


	7. Chapter 7

"Four kids, Shaw!" Root stressed loudly as she began pacing their bedroom. "How the hell are we supposed to parent four kids?!"

Life, as Shaw had learnt, was a funny thing. It was always throwing curveballs and, if Root's reaction was any indication, this was definitely one of them. Neither of them had ever expected to have children but they sure as hell didn't regret it. Their kids were their everything, so Shaw was having a difficult time understanding what the big deal was.

"We've already got three. What's one more?" Shaw asked in a tone that conveyed just how confused she was. 

"What's the big deal?!" Root asked loudly, exasperated at Shaw's lack of understanding. "How are we supposed to handle four kids, Shaw?! Please explain to me how we are supposed to take care of five year old, two seventeen month olds and a newborn?!"

Shaw remained completely still, shocked by the fact the Root had raised her voice at her. It's not like they never fought, it just never resulted in yelling. Oliver didn't like any kind of loud noise and Shaw never wanted him to have to listen to her or Root yelling, especially at each other.

"Okay, first off, could you calm down? The kids are asleep and you know just as well as I do what a mission that was." Shaw reasoned, trying to lighten the mood simultaneously. 

The humour seemed wasted on Root, however she did stop pacing before taking a deep breath and sitting down beside Shaw on the bed. Shaw waited until her breathing returned back to normal before grasping her hand and intertwining their fingers while still staring at the wall in front of them. Shaw allowed Root a few minutes to take some deep breaths and calm herself down. It was only when Shaw felt her wife squeeze her hand that she continued.

"Secondly, I quite like the idea of four mini Root's running around the place." Shaw whispered to her as she placed a kiss on her cheek.

"Oh, please. Oliver looks like a mini you and, for all we know, this baby will turn out exactly opposite to both of us." Root retorted as she placed her head on Shaw's shoulder.

"So, you have thought about it." Shaw accused quietly. "What's the problem?"

"I'm scared, Sameen." Root stated in a whisper that was thick with emotion and left her more vulnerable than Shaw had ever seen before. "One was okay, you know. Ollie made it easy. Three is tricky but we make it work. What if we can't make it work with four?" 

"We'll find a way, Root." Shaw answered before placing a kiss to the top of her head. "You know the guys don't mind helping out and I can try and cut my hours back. We'll make it work."

And Root believed her. It was one thing to dream of having Shaw say these things to her but it was another entirely to have her actually say the words. The pre-Samaritan Shaw would have never had this conversation with her. The pre-Samaritan Shaw would have never had three more kids with her. The pre-Samaritan Shaw would never have stayed with her after having Oliver. But it was moments like this that made her doubt that.

Root sat up a little before locking their lips and straddling Shaw as she did so. Shaw placed her hands on Root's hips, steadying her, whilst Root's were keeping Shaw's head in place. The kiss itself was passionate and fiery but somehow soft and calm at the same time and Shaw found herself enjoying the softer side more.

"I love you." Root whispered between kisses as she began trailing a path down Shaw's neck.

Shaw stopped for a moment and, sensing the change, Root pulled back to look at her.

Shaw wanted to say it back, more than anything in the world, but she just couldn't get the words out. She had yet to actually say the l word to Root after almost three years but she just couldn't. As if sensing what Shaw was thinking, Root brought their lips back together in a chaste kiss that Shaw hoped conveyed everything that she wanted but couldn't say to Root.

"I know," Root told her with no hint of teasing or playfulness in her tone. 

"One day I'll actually say it to you." Shaw promised, keeping her gaze locked on those deep, honey brown eyes that she had fallen for.

"I don't need you to, sweetie." Root replied before pushing Shaw onto her back and climbing on top of her with a wicked smirk on her face. "But, you could always show me."


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: I'd really love to see a chap about Shaw or Root or maybe both talking about each other and the kids to someone outside from their TM circle,like a coworker or else,just a suggestion.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologise for the delay with the update. I had really bad writer's block and was just super busy. I tried writing this chapter a couple of times but I didn't really like any of them. Anyway, I hope you enjoy the chapter.

Out of all the possibilities in the world, Root had never imagined that she would be sitting across from her mother in law who believed that her wife had been dead for many years. As soon as she had realised who exactly the number was, she got back into the field despite being pregnant. She knew the effect of her father in law's death on Shaw, even if it happened over twenty years ago. Root couldn't bear to see the toll that losing her mother would take on Shaw. She would never be ready. Besides, when would she ever get another chance to meet the woman who had been strong enough to raise Shaw on her own.

Things had gone well mission wise. It was fairly obvious from the beginning that the elderly Persian, Sanaz, was a victim, a fact that Root had rolled her eyes at when Finch presented it to them. Shaw had let bits of information about her mother slip over the years so Root knew that there wasn't an evil bone in the woman's body. But she allowed Finch to go through the motions anyway, even if it was a waste of time. In the end, they discovered it to be a gang come after her for turning some of their young, teenage members away from a life of crime and getting them back into school. It was noble as far as Root was concerned.

She and Reese instantly took a liking to her and found themselves more invested as the mission dragged on. Root was currently sitting across from her, deciding on her next move carefully. She knew for a fact that she was going to lose but she remained seated and continued the game, enjoying herself too much to stop. No wonder Shaw was so good at chess, Root thought after she had moved only for her bishop to be taken out of the game.

It was then that her phone began vibrating on the table and she quickly answered it without checking the number. She had expected it to be Reese but was pleasantly surprised when a small voice greeted her.

"Hi mommy," Josh greeted so happily that Root could picture the beaming smile on his face now. 

"Hi baby," Root replied, her voice instantly softening and a light smile making its way on her lips. She noticed the curious gaze upon her that was accompanied by a raise eyebrow but Sanaz didn't comment, not wanting to interrupt the phone call. "Did you have fun with mama today?"

"Yeah," He replied happily. He wasn't the best conversationalist but he tended to answer questions so Root typically stuck to asking questions, especially when on the phone to her younger son. "We play lots but gots to go sleep now."

Root glanced down at her watch for a moment, smirking when she saw that it was much later than their usual bedtime. All three kids had Shaw wrapped around their littles fingers, especially Hanna. 

"Yeah, it's way past your bedtime." Root told him knowingly. There was rustling on the other end of the phone and muffled voices for a moment before Josh spoke again.

"Mama said I gots to sleep now." He told her in a sadder tone that she knew was caused by her absence. 

"Okay, baby. I love you." She told him in a soft tone that was specifically used when talking with her children. 

"Love you too." He easily replied before there was more rustling and another voice greeted her.

"Mommy!" This one yelled excitedly, much to the amusement of Sanaz who could hear the loud noise from across the table.

"Hi darling," Root greeted her daughter, trying to calm the girl down. Shaw was probably going to have a hell of a time getting her into bed if she was this energetic at ten o'clock at night. "Are you going to bed too?"

"Mmmmhmmm," She answered much softer as she heard the unmistakable voice of her wife instructing the girl to keep the noise down. "When you come home?" She asked in a hushed whisper that had Root's smile growing.

"Probably tomorrow but I don't know for certain yet." She told her, dropping her voice so that it was softer. She knew that the kids didn't like it when either her or Shaw was gone for too long and whilst two days wasn't very long by Root's standards, it was by the twins. When a loud yawn was heard over the line, Root knew that it was time for her to let the little girl get some rest. Even if she did miss her like crazy. "Get some sleep. I love you."

"Love you mommy." She replied before the line went silent for a few moments.

Root waited patiently before movement was heard once again and Shaw's smooth voice came through. "Sorry, they wouldn't go to bed without saying goodnight." Shaw told her as the sound of a door closing could be heard int the background.

"That's okay," Root told her simply, holding her phone to her ear with one hand as she made her next move with the other. "They can call any time that they want."

"You good?" Shaw asked quietly. Root knew that it was her way of checking in, silently asking if she would need medical attention when she walked through the front door.

"Yeah," Root answered shyly, a light blush tinting her cheeks.

"Okay, well I'm going to sleep. Let's hope this next kid is less energetic otherwise I don't think we'll survive." She joked for a moment, earning a chuckle from Root.

"I love you." Root kept her voice light, not wanting her wife to feel pressured.

"You too." Shaw replied in a grumble before Root hung up the phone and return it to the table. She was in a much better mood now, somehow feeling refreshed. "Sorry about that." Root apologised as she turned her attention back to the game. She really should have played with the Machine's help.

"Please, there is no need to apologise. I understand." Sanaz told her in a softer, understanding tone as a sadness shone through in her dark eyes that were identical to her wife's and eldest son. "How many do you have?"

"Three," Root answered with a bright smile. "Soon to be four."

Sanaz looked surprised for a moment but quickly recovered and, once again, Root couldn't help but compare the look to Shaw. It was interesting just how similar the two looked as Shaw had clearly gotten most of her features from her mother rather than her father.

"Congratulations," Sanaz told her sincerely as she gave Root a soft smile. "Although I think you many be better off in another line of work. I hear guns and gang members are bad for a pregnancy."

Root smiled at the comment, enjoying the lighthearted conversation. This is what she had wished her own mother had been like. Kind, sincere, understanding rather than dismissive and neglectful. She found herself wondering what Shaw thought of her childhood, although knowing her wife she would probably just shrug her shoulders.

Root picked up her phone again and quickly located the picture she was looking for before holding it so that Sanaz could see. It was one of her favourite pictures of all three of the kids and Oliver was actually smiling, even if it didn't look like it.

"You have beautiful children." Sanaz told her with a soft smile. "The older boy," She paused and looked to Root, who easily filled her in on his name. "He reminds me of my daughter."

"What is she like?" Root asked interested, choosing her words carefully. She knew that she had to play along as though she didn't know that Sanaz believed that Shaw was dead. That she hadn't died a hero in some crappy country whilst she was serving in the marines.

"She was so... unbothered by everything," The Persian told her with a faraway look. "Ever since she was a baby, she didn't let anything bother her. She would get angry but she was mostly just... expressionless." 

"Was?" Root asked.

"She died, over ten years ago now. She was a marine." Sanaz told her as a tear fell down her cheek. 

"I'm so sorry." Root told her sincerely. Now that she was a mother herself, Root couldn't imagine what it must have been like knowing that one of her children were dead. That she would never get to see them or hold them ever again. 

"Oh, don't worry about it. She's been gone for so long now." The older woman told her as she wiped the stray tear from her cheek. "We weren't exactly close, not since her father passed."

Root nodded in understanding. Shaw had told her as much. It had been difficult for Shaw to communicate, especially after her father had passed. She had told Root that her father was always patient with her, that even though he didn't understand her he still tried. Whereas he mother just couldn't understand why she was the way she was. Of course that had led on to a conversation where Shaw had told Root that she just had to be patient with her. Although, she didn't need to considering she already knew how Shaw felt.

It was at that moment that there was a knock on the door to the apartment they had been hiding out it and Root immediately pulled one of her guns from her waistband, which just so happened to be Shaw's nano, and approached the door slowly. It wasn't until the Machine told her that it was Reese that she lowered the weapon but still kept it in her hand just in case any unwanted visitors had followed him.

She opened the door to find Reese standing there with a blood stained shoulder and a few bodies of gang members littering the floor around him. Root looked up at him questioningly, wondering how they hadn't been alerted by any noise.

"I ran out of bullets." He told her with a shrug and a smirk before glancing around her to check that Sanaz was unharmed. "Ready to move?"


	9. Chapter 9

Shaw launched herself out of bed as soon as her mind registered that someone was lying next to her. And not just anyone but Root. She wanted to believe it was real, more than anything she wanted to believe that Root was really there, but she knew better. Samaritan had been pulling this shit for God knows how long and she fell for it. She actually fell for it this time. 

This simulation had gone on for far longer than any of the others, or at least it had in her mind, and had been far more realistic than any of the others. For all she knew it had only been a few hours, a few days, a week. And she had led Samaritan right to the subway. Right to the Machine. Which meant that Root...

She took a few silent steps backwards until she felt the cool sensation of the wall against her back before she slid down, hugging her legs to her chest. There was a large explosion of pain in her chest at the mere thought of a world without Root and she felt tears welling up in her eyes. 

She didn't know she could have been so stupid, how she could have believed that her life would turn out this way after everything she had done. That she would actually have kids, with Root no less. Now, there was no hope of that happening because if the Machine was gone so was Root. The perky psychopath who managed to get a sociopath to fall in love with her. 

She remained motionless, her gaze fixed on the floorboards and her mind lost in a whirlwind of sorrow and confusion. Which is why she didn't hear Root wake up. Or why she didn't hear her make her way over. She didn't notice that Root, simulation Root, had sat down beside her until she felt a warm hand cover her own. 

She didn't react, she couldn't. She didn't reciprocate the affectionate gesture or even acknowledge her presence. It hurt too much. Here she was, sitting beside a simulation of Root, when the real one was probably dead. All because of her. All because she couldn't hold on to reality. Samaritan had probably won and there was no chance that anyone had survived, least of all Root.

She remained oblivious to everything but her thoughts. She didn't notice deep, honey brown eyes gazing at her intensely or the single tear that had managed to escape. She was completely numb to everything and, if she was being perfectly honest, she just wanted everything to end. The simulation, her life, it didn't matter anymore because the only person she would ever fight for was likely gone. Erased from existence without anyone to remember her. 

Except everything about her was permanently etched into Shaw's mind. Her manic smile and wicked smirks. Her ridiculous "winks." Her unpredictable and reckless nature. The undeniable chemistry she felt every time their eyes met. The huskiness of her voice when she would wake up or was turned on. Her unique scent of vanilla and gun powder that invaded Shaw's sense of smell no matter how subtle it was.

Root watched the minute expressions play out on Shaw's face. The faint glow of the moonlight shining through the curtains of their bedroom allowed her to see everything she needed. From the empty look in Shaw's eyes and the barely contained expression of grief, Root knew something was definitely off and she had an inkling about what it was.

She knew that tonight was going to be difficult when Shaw had walked through the front door with fresh stitches on her forehead. Being a detective was the perfect job for Shaw. She was never in as much danger as she was when she had been working the numbers but she got enough action to keep her bloodlust at bay. However, that didn't mean that the job was totally risk free. Shaw had told her a brief version of how she was injured, trying to play it off as something minor, and the Machine filled in the blanks. It had been bad enough for Fusco to call in just to check on her. Of course, she insisted that she was fine and moved on. Everything had been fine until a few moments ago.

"Sameen," She whispered softly, attempting to get her wife's attention but to no avail. "Sam?"

Being brought back to reality, or at least the simulation's reality, Shaw turned her gaze onto her but refused to look her in the eye. She couldn't, not when the simulation was this real. 

"Sameen, baby, please look at me." Root pleaded, grasping onto Shaw's hand.

"I can't," Shaw whispered, her tone completely flat and devoid of all information. "You're not real. None of this is real." 

Root breathed out a shaky breath, her fears being confirmed. Relapses weren't a common thing anymore. When Shaw had first returned, they would happen frequently and at least four times a week. Some of them were more minor than others, such as Shaw refusing to go near the subway. Whereas others were more major in scale to the point where she would have a gun held to her head. As time went on, they became far less frequent and minor in scale. But she had never seen Shaw this broken before.

"Sameen, what are you talking about?" Root asked softly, slowly moving her thumb against the back of her hand in an effort to calm her down.

"You're not real." Shaw whispered as her voice cracked and a few tears fell down her cheeks. "I want you to be but you're not."

Root moved a little further back but maintained her grasp on her wife's hand, not wanting to overwhelm Shaw but still stay connected.

"Sameen, this isn't a simulation." Root told her softly but in a firm tone. "I'm real, sweetie."

Shaw wanted to believe her. She wanted to believe that she was really here with Root. She wanted to believe that she was married to her and that they had three perfect kids and another on the way. But the rational part of her brain knew better. There were very few things that Samaritan didn't know about Root and their relationship at this stage. But there were still some things and if this Root really wasn't a simulation, if this Root was real like she claimed, then she would know the answers exactly. 

"You remember that time you almost burnt me with an iron?" Shaw asked, her voice gravely and thick with emotion despite her best efforts.

The question intrigued Root more than anything, prompting her to wonder what any of that had to do with what was happening at that moment. "How could I forget?" She answered, hoping it came off as her usual flirting rather than her current state of nervousness.

"What backup was I carrying with me that day?" Shaw finally asked, turning her pain filled gaze onto Root.

"Smith & Wesson Bodyguard 380." Root answered almost immediately. Everything she knew about Shaw was neatly filed away in its own corner of her brain. She could never forget anything to even remotely do with Shaw.

Shaw looked into her eyes, looking for anything even remotely different from what she remembered. But she couldn't find anything, not even a single difference.

Realising that she was finally getting through to her, Root moved her hand to press against her growing belly where the baby was currently kicking. Shaw's entire demeanour seemed to relax and release the tension it had previously held.

"I'm real, sweetie." Root whispered, trying not to disturb the wonder Shaw was currently feeling if her expression was anything to go by. "Everything's real."

"You're really here?" Shaw asked in an astounded whisper that could also be considered pleading.

When Root nodded her head, maintaining eye contact so that Shaw knew she wasn't lying, she didn't expect Shaw to instantly press her lips to hers in a fierce, passionate kiss that Root instinctively reciprocated. They remained in the lip lock until the need for air became too much but remained close as they caught their breath. Shaw placed her forehead onto Root's shoulder and finally grasped her hand in return. 

"I love you," Shaw whispered so quietly that Root would have missed it had the Machine not amplified her implant.

"I love you, too." Root responded, not bothering to keep the emotion from her tone. She felt tears beginning to build and her lips curved into one of the largest smiles she could manage. Instead of commenting further, Root dropped a kiss onto her forehead and they remained that way until the sun rose, signalling that it was time to get up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed reading the update. If anyone has any prompts feel free to send them through. Thanks for reading.


End file.
